MAKE OWN DELICIOUS CAKE

A cake, whether a complicated layer cake or a quick sheet cake or cupcakes made from a mix, is a perfect end to almost any meal, and these quick and delicious recipes will help you make cakes often.

Chocolate Cake

This fabulous cake recipe is very simple to make. A dark chocolate cake is frosted with a lighter cocoa frosting.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes









Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and dust with cocoa two 9" layer cake pans. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with wire whisk until blended. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat well with wire whisk or mixer until combined, about 2 minutes. While beating, heat water in microwave oven to boiling. Stir boiling water into cake batter.
Pour the thin batter into the two prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan, top springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Fill and frost with Chocolate Frosting.



Molten Chocolate Cakes


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes






Ingredients:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter (NOT margarine)
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 (14 to 16 oz.) package fudge brownie mix
2 Tbsp. brewed coffee or chocolate milk
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 nonstick muffin cups and set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine both kinds of chocolate chips and butter. Microwave on high power for 1 minute, stirring twice during cooking, or until chocolate and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine eggs and egg yolks and beat at high speed for 5 minutes until foamy, light in color, and doubled in size.
If there is one, set aside the chocolate syrup packet from brownie mix. Gradually add the dry brownie mix to the beaten egg mixture, stirring with wooden spoon until well blended. Fold in melted chocolate mixture and coffee or chocolate milk. Carefully pour batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes or just until edges are set. The centers of the little cakes will still be soft. Cool on wire rack for 2 minutes. Run knife around edge of each cake to loosen, then invert warm cake on each plate. Drizzle with the chocolate syrup from the reserved packet and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 12 servings



Chocolate Cherry Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes







Ingredients:
1 (18-ounce) package devil's food or chocolate cake mix
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9" pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside. In large bowl, combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, extract, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, then beat 1 minute at medium speed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cake is set.
While cake is in the oven, combine sugar, butter, and milk in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir with a wire whisk until the chips are melted and frosting is smooth. Pour over warm cake and spread to cover. Let cool on wire rack before serving. 16 servings.




Chocolate Oatmeal Cake


This simple cake, made with oatmeal, chocolate chips, and coconut, is great for lunchboxes or a family dinner. It's very similar to German Chocolate Cake, but with more chocolate! And the cake is very easy to make because you don't have to cream butter and sugar together, and the topping is simply stirred together and spooned on the cake.
Prep Time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 35 minutes



Ingredients:
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13" pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine oatmeal with 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup chocolate chips. Pour boiling water over all, and let stand for 5 minutes. Then add the cocoa and mix well with a wire whick so the chocolate and butter melt. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 1 cup brown sugar and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Add eggs and 2 tsp. vanilla and beat until combined. Then add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a wire whisk until well blended. Immediately pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes until cake pulls away from sides of pan and springs back when lightly touched in center.
Prepare topping while cake is baking. Combine 1/3 cup melted butter, walnuts, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, coconut, cream, and 1 tsp. vanilla in a medium bowl; mix well. When cake tests done, remove from oven and set on wire rack.
Turn oven to broil. Drop topping mixture by small spoonfuls onto cake; spread very gently to cover. Place under broiler, 4" from heat source, and broil for 2-5 minutes until topping is bubbly and light golden brown. Watch this every single second, turning the cake from front to back so the frosting cooks evenly. It can burn in a couple of seconds, so keep watching! When the frosting is bubbling furiously all over the cake and is beginning to brown in spots, remove cake from oven and sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips. Let stand for 10 minutes, then carefully swirl the chocolate chips into the frosting with the tip of a knife. Cool and cut into squares. Serve warm or cool. Serves 12


Triple Delight Chocolate Cake


This delicious layer cake is one I've always wanted to try; it starts with a frosting. That's right, chocolate frosting is used to bake the cake! I changed the recipe significantly. The original recipe was peppermint flavored, and I wanted a pure chocolate cake. I increased the amount of cream cheese and powdered sugar too. Also, I tripled the amount of chocolate in the cake to give it more flavor. I'm very happy with the result; you will be too!
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes



Ingredients:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
8 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup hot water
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups reserved frosting
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 9" layer cake pans and dust with cocoa powder; set aside. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and butter and beat with mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat well. Add 1/3 of the hot water and beat. Repeat, adding sugar and water alternately. Then beat in melted chocolate. Measure 2 cups of this frosting for the cake batter. Cover the rest of the frosting tightly with foil and set aside.
For cake, in another large bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter with 2 cups reserved frosting and beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and milk to the batter and beat until smooth and well blended. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
Fill and frost cooled cake layers with set aside frosting. You may need to thin the frosting out a bit with 1-2 Tbsp. of milk for the desired spreading consistency. Store cake in refrigerator. 12 servings





Chocolate Chip Banana Cake




This rich cake is very easy to make, and has a wonderful velvety texture because of the mashed banana.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 65 minutes





Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup cream
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan; set aside. In large bowl combine all ingredients except chocolate chips. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. By hand, stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 65-75 minutes or until cake is firm and set and begins to pull away from sides of pan.
Immediately set pan onto a dishtowel that has been soaked in water and gently wrung out. Let pan sit for 5 minutes, then turn out onto serving plate (this will make the cake come out of the pan without sticking). Cool completely before serving. 16 servings






Updated Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes




Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
6 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups chopped pecans


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and brown sugar, and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating throughly after each addition until eggs combine with butter mixture (this can take some time). Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well. By hand, stir in flour, cocoa, and pecans until well blended.
Spray a 12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 58-62 minutes, until crust looks dry and shiny (traditional doneness tests won't work because of the soft fudge center). Cool cake in pan on rack for 1 hour, then invert onto serving plate and remove pan. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Serves 16